Eight years later and thousands of miles away, Louisville Metro police detectives got the break they've been hoping for in a cold case.They believe they finally have the suspect in the 2006 rape of a young girl.Mobile users: Tap here for videoDNA evidence was collected back in 2006. Police in Louisville had the evidence, just not their suspect.That all changed thanks to a drug investigation in a Seattle suburb.For more than a decade, trees and bushes are all that have separated Ellice Garner from Thomas Jefferson Middle School.Eight years ago, it was what separated her from a crime scene; a young girl, just 13 years old, was attacked and raped behind the school."Yeah, I've thought about it over the years. You hear about it one day, a week later. Then, you don't hear about it no more," said Garner.But now, the case is back in the headlines. And LMPD officers believe they finally have their suspect -- Michael Reid. He was located thousands of miles from the crime scene, in the quiet Seattle suburb of Lakewood."Our special operations unit, which handles narcotics, got info from an informant he was doing drugs and was in possession of firearms. That's how we got the initial information. That's what caused us to look into it," said Lakewood Police Lt. Chris Lawler.Reid, officers learned, was not only trafficking drugs but he was in possession in a large number of firearms. He was also a convicted felon. But before executing a search warrant, officers entered Reid's name into a national database."If we're going to look into somebody, especially a narcotics investigation, we like to check in a database with other agencies to say, 'Hey are you looking at this person? Because we're about to.' And we don't want to duplicate efforts or screw something up," said Lawler.That's when police learned Reid was a suspect in the 2006 rape in Louisville. It was Reid's DNA that had been recovered from the crime scene. Officers in Lakewood got not only a dozen weapons, but a confession for that rape, and now, Reid is behind bars in Washington."I hope they keep him in there. That way he won't hurt anyone else," said Garner.For his role in that Washington case, Reid is now facing drug and gun charges.He has not yet been charged in connection to the rape case.A spokesperson with LMPD said that case will head to a Jefferson County grand jury on June 25.If indicted, Reid will be extradited to Louisville.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —

Eight years later and thousands of miles away, Louisville Metro police detectives got the break they've been hoping for in a cold case.

They believe they finally have the suspect in the 2006 rape of a young girl.

DNA evidence was collected back in 2006. Police in Louisville had the evidence, just not their suspect.

That all changed thanks to a drug investigation in a Seattle suburb.

For more than a decade, trees and bushes are all that have separated Ellice Garner from Thomas Jefferson Middle School.

Eight years ago, it was what separated her from a crime scene; a young girl, just 13 years old, was attacked and raped behind the school.

"Yeah, I've thought about it over the years. You hear about it one day, a week later. Then, you don't hear about it no more," said Garner.

But now, the case is back in the headlines. And LMPD officers believe they finally have their suspect -- Michael Reid. He was located thousands of miles from the crime scene, in the quiet Seattle suburb of Lakewood.

"Our special operations unit, which handles narcotics, got info from an informant he was doing drugs and was in possession of firearms. That's how we got the initial information. That's what caused us to look into it," said Lakewood Police Lt. Chris Lawler.

Reid, officers learned, was not only trafficking drugs but he was in possession in a large number of firearms. He was also a convicted felon. But before executing a search warrant, officers entered Reid's name into a national database.

"If we're going to look into somebody, especially a narcotics investigation, we like to check in a database with other agencies to say, 'Hey are you looking at this person? Because we're about to.' And we don't want to duplicate efforts or screw something up," said Lawler.

That's when police learned Reid was a suspect in the 2006 rape in Louisville. It was Reid's DNA that had been recovered from the crime scene. Officers in Lakewood got not only a dozen weapons, but a confession for that rape, and now, Reid is behind bars in Washington.

"I hope they keep him in there. That way he won't hurt anyone else," said Garner.

For his role in that Washington case, Reid is now facing drug and gun charges.

He has not yet been charged in connection to the rape case.

A spokesperson with LMPD said that case will head to a Jefferson County grand jury on June 25.